Three goals, no reply, a ticket punched
September had been unkind to Nashville. No wins in three, two draws and a defeat, and a league-best record starting to look ordinary. Then Chicago came to town.
Nashville won 3-0 and became the first club in MLS to clinch a playoff berth this season. Sam Surridge, Cristian Espinoza and Hany Mukhtar scored. Brian Schwake did not have much to do, and collected his 12th clean sheet of the year.
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Surridge, again
The opener in the 33rd minute took two attempts to build. Reed Baker-Whiting’s first cross ran long. Nashville worked it back to Jack Corcoran at the top of the area, Corcoran returned it, and Baker-Whiting’s header into the centre of the box found Surridge charging in.
Surridge scored 24 last season. He has 16 in 20 games this one.
The second arrived in the 78th. Andy Najar took a long pass up the right, carried it into the box and tapped it backwards to Espinoza, who curled in his fourth of the year. Nine minutes later some quick passing produced a four-on-two break, Espinoza squared it, and Mukhtar made it 11 for the season.
Records within range
Nashville are 17-3-6 and on 57 points. At home they are 12-0-1. They have conceded 21 goals, fewer than anyone else in the league, and the MLS points record of 74, set by Inter Miami two years ago, is now in sight.
Schwake has just been called up for his first appearance with the United States men’s national team. His opposite number Chris Brady, also a USMNT goalkeeper and a World Cup participant, made two saves for Chicago.
The Fire had their moments. Philip Zinckernagel pounced when Schwake spilled a save in the 11th, only for a defender to block the follow-up. Robert Lewandowski was fed by Puso Dithejane in the second half and pushed his effort just wide of the far post. Chicago have lost two straight after seven unbeaten, and sit on 39 points.
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